Fortin Ridderstraat

Fortin Ridderstraat is located at Ridderstraat 6 in the city center of ’s-Hertogenbosch. Fortin refers to this location as its flagship café. The coffee bar opened on Saturday, November 9, 2019. Local reports identified Lars Mueters and Jettie Creemers as the young couple behind the venture.

The establishment has clear ties to Brabant education and hospitality experience. Mueters studied accountancy at Avans, while Creemers studied Business Innovation at the same university. Additionally, both gained experience working in lunchrooms in Limburg. A few weeks after the opening, Creemers was described as a student running her own coffee bar in the center of Den Bosch.

According to its own description, the concept of Fortin Ridderstraat centers on coffee, hospitality, and attention to detail. In doing so, the shop fits into a broader movement within the specialty coffee sector, where coffee bars focus not only on consumption but also on origin, preparation, and educating the guest.

Fortin describes its overall workflow as a chain of sourcing at the origin, roasting in small batches, and serving in its own cafés in Den Bosch. This description ensures that Ridderstraat is not seen in isolation from the rest of the company; the location functions as a public café, but also as the place where the brand’s approach to coffee comes together at the bar.

In its selection, Fortin features various coffees from its own roastery, such as Ethiopia Classic, Burundi Gasura, Mexico Decaff, and Rwanda Cyesha. Additionally, Fortin offers guest coffees from Spojka Roastery, including names like Indonesia BrewTEAful, Colombia Gold Digger, Costa Rica La Eva, and Colombia Juicy Strawberry.

The Ridderstraat page also indicates which coffees are currently in the hopper. These include Klassiek – Ethiopië, Burundi Gasura, Mexico Decaff, and Rwanda Cyesha. Furthermore, coffees such as Costa Rica – La Eva, Colombia – Gold Digger, and Colombia – Juicy Strawberry are on the list. For some coffees, Fortin also specifies the processing methods, such as washed and fruit co-fermented.

The permanent drink menu includes espresso, cappuccino, and latte. These are crafted using specialty coffee, fresh Jersey milk, or a plant-based alternative. Additionally, the menu features drinks with more specific compositions, with Fortin listing the Melbourne Magic, Strawberry Fields, Yuzu Espresso Tonic, and Cherry Tea.

Public coffee lists document V60 and Chemex as the filter methods used at Fortin. A La Marzocco Strada is also mentioned as the espresso machine. A profile from Sprout Coffee Roasters notes that Café Fortin has offered various filter options and an espresso special. According to that profile, Fortin has also served Sprout as an espresso special.

Beyond coffee, the location page mentions matcha from Kagoshima, Japan. The description states that it is prepared using a traditional bamboo chasen. The same page mentions Brita water filtration as part of the setup. Such details show that Fortin describes its preparation technically, even if not all processes are fully detailed publicly.

Fortin states that it works with trusted producers and importers for the sourcing of green coffee. During selection, the company looks at origin, altitude, climate, and the farmer’s expertise. Fortin then roasts the coffee in small batches. Recipes are calibrated before serving.

Their own information mentions single-origin beans and states that the majority of the coffee is organic certified. Where certification is lacking, Fortin says it chooses partners with demonstrably sustainable and environmentally conscious practices. The company also asserts that buyers bear the responsibility for ensuring a livable income for farmers. For this reason, Fortin claims to keep its supply chain small and personal.

In 2019, it was reported that Fortin served Pure Africa coffee. Pure Africa was described as a party that invested one euro in microcredit for every kilo sold and purchased directly from farmer cooperatives. This information relates to the period around the opening and does not automatically reflect the current full offering.

Fortin mentions several collaborations surrounding the café. According to its own page, the company spent a weekend with Oatly focusing on oat milk cappuccinos. A collaboration with Hugo Boss is also mentioned, alongside several book launches held at the café. The same page indicates that Fortin is open to brand activations, product launches, and joint events.

Public Instagram results refer to workshops, including “De Proeverij” and a barista workshop. The full posts were not accessible in the provided material. Therefore, the available information on this remains limited to the titles and short references from the search results.

The coffee bar is included in several public mentions. Punt published an article about Creemers and Fortin in November 2019. Bastion-Oranje reported on the opening on the Ridderstraat during the same month. Furthermore, Fortin is mentioned by Koffietje.nl, European Coffee Trip, NS Dagje Uit, Your Little Black Book, and Horecaprijzen.nl. These mentions contribute to the public documentation of the business, but do not replace an independent assessment of quality or operations.